Monthly Archives: May 2009

Real Deal

Today is a special day for many reasons. First, it’s my husband’s birthday.  Second, it’s his twin brother’s birthday (surprise, surprise!).  Happy birthday, David and Daniel!

But this year is special for another reason. For David, today marks fifteen years in the ministry.  Hard to believe that time is passing so quickly. As college sweethearts apart for the summer, I remember clutching the phone all of those years ago, hearing him talk about starting his first ministry position that day. It’s likely he heard me grin through the phone line.

The truth is that even before that day he was a minister, and there’s no doubt in my mind that he’ll keep ministering until the day he goes home to heaven, hopefully many, many years from now.

It’s simply who he is. His heartbeat echoes love for God and love for people. One of the unique aspects of being a minister’s spouse is seeing that person behind the scene, day-to-day.  David challenges me constantly through how he lives. He can’t help but praise God constantly. Many late evenings find him effortlessly creating the most beautiful guitar music in heartfelt tribute to Jesus. Many long days find him spending time with a troubled teenager, on a roof somewhere fixing an air conditioner, or offering a caring ear to a grieving person. He’s the real deal. Most people have no idea how much he does for others out of his love for God.  He looks more like Jesus than almost anyone I know.

And his ministry includes our home; he is the most wonderful husband I could ask for.

So, here’s to you, David…I’m privileged to have ministered with you these fifteen years. Here’s to many more!

Relax

(Written this last weekend.)

There are some moments in life that require you to simply sit back and take it in. Nothing else is needed.

David and I have made a quick getaway to Fort Davis, Texas. If you’re not familiar with this part of Texas, it’s far from where most Texans call home. Think of most of the major cities here (Fort Worth, Austin, etc.), tack on five or six hours of driving west from each, and then you’ll be within an hour or so of here. And you think I’m exaggerating.

The landscape is a poster child for what many Americans think all of the state looks like: rugged mountains, vast vistas. The perfect setting for a good ol’ western movie. In fact, the James Dean classic Giant was filmed not far from here. Ironically, most Texans have never been to the so-called Trans Pecos. I’ll own up to it, too; I had never been lucky enough to experience this area until I moved from Texas to New Mexico and then came for a visit. I’m making up for lost time.

Right now we’re on a mountain overlooking wheat-colored plains on one side, mountain valleys audacious enough to claim both edgy wildness and lush beauty on another, a historic military fort, and an incredible observatory. The breeze grazing my cheeks softens the harsh distant thunder in my ears. The scent of rain hangs delicately. The crickets purr their lullaby.

So for now I’ll simply absorb and enjoy.

With a little help from my friends

Let’s build on the road trip theme we’ve started.  I’ve been thinking lately about friendship.  Isn’t kind of ironic that as we get older, it’s often harder to make or maintain friendships without a healthy dose of effort?  Here’s what I mean:  we’re adults, not dependent on parents for rides to friends’ houses or on slumber parties for time to concoct plots to pick on pesky classmates.  Yet schedules, family, work, and other commitments often edge friend time to the fringes of our routines. Busyness is not a friend to friendship.

I’m so thankful for incredible memories with my friends.  Snippets of memories rush through my mind…playing Barbies, tromping through woods on camp outs, giggles shared long after midnight, cruising around during summer evenings with the windows down, playing dorm pranks on each other, crying together when life turned grim, starry nights hanging out by the lake, collecting bridesmaid dresses from each others’ weddings, attacking untamed river rapids with robust energy, shopping marathons, sharing life over the miles through e-mail, and laughing over coffee and questionable cookies.  I’m grateful that listing all the memories would take pages and pages.

Think about some of your best times with friends…long ago and hopefully, not so long ago.  Now think about your road trip from the last post (or dream up one now if you haven’t yet).  Which friends would you take with you if you could?  Would that change your plans any?